The present invention relates to an electrical equipment module for controlling the power supply to and the operation of electrical equipment.
In various electric devices, an electrical equipment module is used, which incorporates a power distribution section for distributing electric power supplied from an external power source to electrical equipment such as a motor or which incorporates a control section for controlling the drive of electrical equipment. An electrically-powered seat unit for a vehicle, serving as this type of electric device, typically includes a seat adjuster adapted to be fixed to the floor panel of the vehicle, a seat cushion attached to an upper movable section of the seat adjuster for back-and-forth motion and up-and-down motion, a seat back attached to a rear-end side movable section of the adjuster for tilting motion, and motors drivingly coupled to the movable sections of the seat adjuster. The seat unit is designed to move the seat cushion backward, forward, upward and downward with respect to the floor panel and to cause the seat back to recline.
An electrically-powered seat unit 1 exemplarily shown in FIG. 1 includes a seat adjuster 2 to which are attached a slide motor 5 for moving a seat cushion 3 backward and forward, a front vertical motor 6 for moving the front portion of the seat cushion 3 vertically, a rear vertical motor 7 for moving the rear portion of the seat cushion 3 vertically, and a reclining motor 8 for adjusting the inclination angle of the seat back 4. A lumber support motor 9 for rotating a lumber support bar 4a is provided in the seat back 4 of the seat unit 1. Located under the seat cushion 3 are an electronic control unit (ECU) 14 for controlling the drive of the motors 5-9 and wire harness 13 for supplying electric power and control signals to the motors 5-9. Corresponding ones of the motors 5-9, the ECU 14, an external power supply (not shown), and an operation switch 12 are electrically connected to one another via the wire harness 13 and a floor-panel side harness (not shown), so that the motors 5-9 are provided with control signals for adjusting the seat position and adjusting the inclination angle of the seat back from the ECU 14 responsive to the manual operation of the operation switch 12 and with electric power from the external power supply. In the seat unit 1, the wire harness 13 and ECU 14 constitute an electrical equipment module for controlling power supply to and the operation of the motors 5-9 serving as electrical equipment.
According to the above-described seat unit 1, each individual passenger is permitted to adjust the seat position and the inclination angle of the seat back to meet his or her body or the like. However, there is a demand for saving space for the electrically-powered seat unit, as will be explained below.
Recently, to improve the seating comfort, the electrically-powered seat unit has been so constructed that the bottom of the seat cushion moves down when a passenger sits thereon, whereas the space under the seat unit is used as a glove compartment, a blower retaining section, or a retaining section for a car navigation system or an audio visual unit. In this manner, the seat unit is demanded for space saving to effectively use the space thereunder as much as possible. Thus, the ECU adapted to be disposed below the seat unit should be made as thin as possible. However, the conventional seat unit does not sufficiently meet this requirement for the following reason.
As shown in FIG. 2, the wire harness 13 is branched into two on the ECU 14 side and these two branch harnesses are respectively connected to male connectors 13a and 13b. When the connectors 13a and 13b are plugged into two female connectors provided on one side of the ECU 14, the wire harness 13 is electrically connected to the ECU 14. On the opposite side of the ECU, the wire harness 13 is separated into a large number of branch harnesses adapted to be connected via connectors to wire groups (wire harnesses) respectively extending from the external power supply and the motors. A respective branch harness corresponding to each motor includes at least two wires forming a pair of power supply lines. Generally, each branch harness consists of a total of five wires including a control power supply line, a control ground line and a control signal line in addition to the two power supply lines.
On the other hand, the number of motors to be mounted in an electrically-powered seat unit tends to increase to suit the luxury features of the seat unit. In general, for example, five motors are used as in the case of the seat unit 1. As the number of motors increases, the number of wires for supplying electric power and control signals to the motors increases, thus enlarging the outside diameter of the wire harness comprised of those wires.
In the electrically-powered seat unit 1 designed to connect the wire harness 13 to the ECU 14 only on one side of the ECU 14, therefore, the ECU-side connecting portion of the wire harness 13, comprised of a bundle of a very large number of wires, becomes extremely large in outside diameter. This makes it difficult to bend the wire harness 13 so that it is troublesome to lay the wire harness 13 upon installation of the seat unit 1 to the floor panel. Further, the adjuster 2 and the wire harness 13 may interfere with each other, damaging the wires.
Since the thickness of the ECU 14 to which the connectors 13a and 13b are connected inevitably become larger than the outside diameters of these connectors, the ECU 14 become thicker if the outside diameters of the wire harness 13 and the connector become large. For this reason, it is difficult to make the ECU 14 of the seat unit 1 thin.
Since the wire harness 13 is connected only to one side of the ECU 14, the wire harness 13 should be routed around the ECU in connecting the wire harness 13 to the ECU 14. That is, as for a motor located on the side opposite the connector side of the ECU 14, the wire harness to be connected thereto should be routed to the side opposite the connector side of the ECU 14. Therefore, the wire harness becomes longer, causing costs to increase.
Some electrically-powered seat units do not have a control functional component equivalent to the ECU 14 but have an electrical equipment module consisting of a power distribution section (distributing board) which is interposed among the motors 5-9, the external power supply (not shown) and the operation switch 12. In the seat unit of this type, corresponding ones of the motors 5-9, the external power supply and the operation switch 12 are electrically connected via the wire harness and the power distribution section. For example, such a seat unit is arranged to distribute electric power from the external power supply to the required one or ones of the motors 5-9 in response to the manual operation of the operation switch 12.
As in the case of the electrical equipment module having a control functional component (ECU 14) or the electrically-powered seat unit 1 provided with such a module, the aforementioned electrical equipment module essentially consisting of the power distribution section has a specific side thereof to which wire harness connectors are attached, posing such a problem that it is difficult to make these connectors thin and the wire harness becomes long.
FIG. 3 shows one example of the circuit structure of the electrically-powered seat unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This seat unit comprises a control section (ECU) 114 responsive to a signal supplied from an operation switch 124 and motors operable under the control of the control section, and operates to adjust the seat cushion and the seat back. More specifically, there are provided a slide motor 125 for adjusting the fore-and-aft position of the seat cushion, a front vertical motor 127 for adjusting the inclination of the seat surface, a rear vertical motor 126 for adjusting the vertical position of the seat cushion, a reclining motor 128 for adjusting the inclination of the seat back, and a lumber support motor 134 permitting a passenger to make an adjustment to fit his or her hip to the seat.
With regard to power distribution to the motors 125-128 and 134, the electrically-powered seat unit shown in FIG. 3 has a floor connector 111 having one side thereof connected to an external power supply 200 via a wire group 201, and includes joint sections 113a-113d connected via another wire group to the other side of the floor connector 111 and having a power distributing capability, so that electric power supplied from the external power supply to the joint sections 113a-113d via the floor connector 111 may be distributed to the motors 125-128 and 134 via the control section (ECU) 114. The control section 114 is connected to the floor connector 111 and the operation switch 124 via wire groups 202, 203 and is connected to various sensors 121 and 129-133 and a seat heater 123 via wires or wire groups and the joint sections 113a-113d. 
Generally, each of the wire groups is constructed in the form of a wire harness consisting of a bundle of wires, through which corresponding ones of the external power supply 200, the floor connector 111, the joint sections 113a-113d, the control section 114 and pieces of electrical equipment (the seat heater 123, the operation switch 124, the sensors 121, 129-133, the motors 125-128, 134) are connected to each another.
Essential components of the electrically-powered seat unit, such as the floor connector 111, the joint sections 113a-113d and the control section 114, are disposed under the seat cushion and wire harnesses are laid around these essential components. Since the laying space under the seat cushion and in the vicinity thereof is narrow, wire laying paths are naturally restricted, so that the wire harnesses are laid by a roundabout route and the outside diameters of the wire harnesses become thick at specific portions thereof. Thus, the wire harnesses are likely to bite or to be caught in the adjuster of the seat unit or in vehicle components therearound, which may cause wire disconnection.
The peripheral components connected to the electrically-powered seat unit via the wire harnesses, such as the external power supply, the motors and the sensors, are disposed at various positions with respect to the seat unit as seen in the lengthwise, widthwise and height directions of the vehicle body. Thus, the laying paths of the wire harnesses which connect the peripheral components to the seat unit are complicated. Particularly, the seat unit shown in FIG. 3 include wire harnesses for connecting the floor connector 111 to the joint sections 113a-113d and to the control section 114, which are located apart form the floor connector, requiring that the ends of those wire harnesses be inserted in a triangular form. A similar end inserting work is carried out, as needed, for the other wire harnesses. In the case of the seat unit shown in FIG. 3, of 49 circuits, 27 circuits, more than a half, are triangular circuits. It is therefore necessary to perform manual assembling (wiring) at the time of producing the wire harnesses, so that the assembling (wiring) work takes times and the end portions of the wire harnesses may be erroneously laid out. Further, the form of the wire harnesses becomes complex, so that their production needs a cost and time.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical equipment module which can reduce the thickness of a module body, and reduce the outside diameters of wire groups and wire harnesses to be connected to the module body, thus facilitating the wire laying work and preventing wire disconnection.
Another object of this invention is to provide an electrical equipment module which reduces the locations of electrical connection established by wire groups and wire harnesses, to thereby facilitate a harness assembling (wiring) work and automated wiring work.
To achieve the above objects, according to one aspect of this invention, an electrical equipment module is provided, which comprises a module body incorporating a power distribution section electrically connected to an external power supply; and at least three wire groups electrically connected to the power distribution section and extending from the module body in different directions. The at least three wire groups are connected at their ends on the side remote from the module body to pieces of electrical equipment. Preferably, each of the at least three wire groups is comprised of a wire harness having a bundle of wires constituting a wire group or a flat cable having wires arranged two-dimensionally.
According to the electrical equipment module of this invention, three or more wire groups, preferably, three or more wire harnesses, extend from the module body in three or more directions different from one another, so that, unlike the conventional electrical equipment module, it is unnecessary to connect one or more wire groups (wire harnesses) only to one side of the module body, making it possible to reduce the number of wires constituting each wire group and reduce the outside diameter of the wire group. This can make the module body thin and facilitates the work of laying the wire groups.
Preferably, the module body is formed into a rectangular parallelepiped shape and has four sides thereof extending substantially perpendicular to one another, and the at least three wire groups extend from different sides of the module body. Alternatively, the module body is formed into a plate shape, and the at least three wire groups extend sideward from a plate surface of the module body. According to the preferred arrangement, at least three wire groups or wire harnesses extend from different sides of the module body or from the module body in directions substantially perpendicular to one another. Therefore, even when pieces of electrical equipment are located at various positions with respect to the electrical equipment module, the electrical connection between the electrical equipment module and the pieces of electrical equipment can be accomplished, without routing the wire groups or wire harnesses around the module body, by causing each of the wire groups or wire harnesses to extend from that side of the module body which is located on the side close to the associated electrical equipment or to extend sideward from that portion of the plate surface of the module body which is close to the associated electrical equipment. This facilitates the work of laying the wire groups or wire harnesses and minimize the lengths of the wire groups or wire harnesses, thus reducing the cost.
Preferably, the module body incorporates a control section electrically connected to the power distribution section, and the control section is connected to at least one of the pieces of electrical equipment via at least one of the at least three wire groups to thereby drivingly control the pieces of electrical equipment. According to this preferred arrangement, it is possible to reduce the outside diameters of the wire groups, e.g., the wire harnesses, of an electrical equipment module having an electrical equipment control function, thus making the module body thin.
Preferably, at least one of the at least three wire groups is provided with connectors at an end thereof disposed on the side remote from the module body. According to this preferred arrangement, the connection between the electrical equipment module and pieces of electrical equipment can be facilitated by means of the connectors provided to the wire groups extending from the pieces of electrical equipment.
Preferably, at least one of the at least three wire groups is provided with connectors at an end thereof disposed on the side close to the module body, and the connectors are adapted to be connected to connectors provided on the module body and electrically connected to the power distribution section or the control section. This preferred arrangement facilitates electric connection between the wire groups to the power distribution section or the control section.
Preferably, the module body is mounted in a body of a vehicle, and the pieces of electrical equipment comprise vehicle-mounted components. This preferred arrangement can provide an electrical equipment module for distributing electric power to vehicle-mounted components and for controlling the drive of these components. In addition, since the module body is thin in thickness, the electrical equipment module can be mounted by effectively using narrow space in the vehicle body.
More preferably, the module body is placed in a component of a vehicular seat, and at least one of the pieces of electrical equipment comprises a motor for driving an adjuster for the vehicular seat. According to this preferred arrangement, an electrical equipment module for distributing electric power to the motor for driving the seat adjuster and for controlling the drive of the motor can be mounted by effectively using narrow space under the seat cushion.
An electrical equipment module according to another aspect of this invention comprises an electric connecting section electrically connected to an external power supply via a wire group, and a module body incorporating a power distribution section electrically connected to pieces of electrical equipment via other wire groups. The electric connecting section and the module body are formed into one piece and electrically connected to each other.
According to the electrical equipment module of this invention, the electric connecting section and the module body are formed into one piece and the electric connecting section and the power distribution section in the module body can be electrically connected beforehand. In particular, at the time of establishing electrical connection between the electric connecting section and the power distribution section, it is unnecessary to carry out a complex wiring work to install the wire groups, extending between these sections, in a triangular form. This makes it possible to simplify a work of assembling (wiring) the electric connecting section and the module body at the time of manufacturing the electrical equipment module, and eliminates the necessity of carrying out on-site work to connect the electric connecting section to the power distribution section by using wire groups or wire harnesses. Since the on-site work to establish the electric connection between the sections is unnecessary, part of the assembling (wiring) work at the time of manufacturing the electrical equipment module can be omitted, thus facilitating the production of the wire groups or automated production thereof and shortening the required manufacturing time. Since the configuration of the wire groups is simplified, a wiring work can be easily, accurately and quickly carried out even in a narrow space, thus simplifying the wiring work.
Preferably, the electric connecting section is electrically connected to at least one of the pieces of electrical equipment. In this case, the electric connecting section is electrically connected to the at least one of the pieces of electrical equipment (e.g., switches and sensors), so that the electric connecting path between the electrical equipment module and at least one of the pieces of electrical equipment becomes more proper and simplified, thus further facilitating the assembling (wiring) work or automated work at the time of manufacturing the electrical equipment module.
Preferably, the module body incorporates a control section electrically connected to the power distribution section or the electric connecting section. The control section is electrically connected to at least one of the pieces of electrical equipment via at least one of the other wire groups and drivingly controls the at least one of the pieces of electrical equipment. In this case, the electric connection between the electric connecting section and the control section of an electrical equipment module having a function to control the drive of electrical equipment, e.g., a motor, can be established in advance directly or via the power distribution section, so that the assembling (wiring) work at the time of manufacturing the electrical equipment module can be easily carried out.
Preferably, the module body is placed in a component of a vehicular seat, and at least one of the pieces of electrical equipment comprises a motor for driving an adjuster for the vehicular seat. According to this preferred arrangement, the wiring work can be performed easily when an electrical equipment module for distributing power to the motor that drives the adjuster for the vehicular seat and for controlling the drive of the motor can be installed in a narrow space under the seat cushion.
Preferably, the module body has a first radio communication section formed integrally therewith and electrically connected to the control section. Signals associated with at least one of the pieces of electrical equipment are exchanged between the first radio communication section and a second radio communication section electrically connected to the at least one of the pieces of electrical equipment. According to this preferred arrangement, part of the electric connections through wire groups between the control section and the pieces of electrical equipment can be established before installing the electrical equipment module, and another part of the electric connections can be eliminated by radio communications. This makes the configuration of the wire groups simplified, and can ensure facilitation and automation of the assembling (wiring) work at the time of manufacturing the electrical equipment module.